Donna
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Posts posted by Donna
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Steve...it's got to be said that under that insane smarta** humor is a sweet person. Sometimes I realize, 'they've only heard one song but a thousand albums of chit chat'.
JB: are you kidding? No, you're being respectful and no-pressure, gotta love that. If I get it done, that means it's respectable and posting it is a main reason to get it done...Actually, I do so want to get this little one's voice talking on a recording - then she will be in the credits
I was spoiled rotten with Loo doing the instrumentation AND mixing AND engineering. It's like a lost-my-limbs kind of thing. He's basically irreplaceable so I'm coming to terms with that.
He's gone into infant exile as I'm coming out of it. I actually scored his bass part and retaught myself (for 56 measures) how to read bass clef....did you know a hard cigarette pack works as a ruler when drawing bar lines on the staff paper?
I fight all this pre-lim work, it's very hard to get myself to do the scoring, cause I'm out of shape. But that's a key to this whole thing, as is setting the eq right in the first place.
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Recalled today that I know one guitar player who, if I ask her "will you do it this way", WILL, and she'll do it PERFECTLY. Haven't spoken (cause of life) in ten years...different city she lives in. Terri is...much more of a perfectionist than I am.
I hope she'd be willing....
Sorry if I'm blogging too much y'all
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OK tonight I said I'm doing this whole song, I just have to hear where it's at, the good and the bad.
Frankenbass young man is nowehere to be found these days, so I added a keyboard bass to the...rough draft (shall we say) sequenced part. Did that and drums (after ten PM) and was finishing vocals after midnight. I did shut the windows for the last bit. Sometimes you just have to risk waking the whole place up.
It will work. I just need to get a guitarist over here and come up with better keyboard parts for the verses. It works best when I play it just like I think it should go. It's ending up that I'm copping less and less of Loo's lines.
Did two mixes of the 9 parts. The mixing/equing along as I go is the biggest bear. I'm certain it can be done, just wish I wasn't the slob who has to do it. The separation is an issue, but thanks to you guys giving me many maps on this recodring section of Songstuff, it's really all here how to go about acheiving it.
I'm in a good spot with it, such a big project for me.
Made also a new mix of Stage 1 (stereo drums and keys) which is my map of vision as it turned out really good.
Cheers, splitter jacks and beers!
And - three vocals (swoon), I sang back up while playing (lol) guitar. Did you know in a pinch you can attach a mic to a keyboard stand with a sturdy rubber binder? That was the condenser mic. It's not even a money issue! Literally haven't had time to pick up a mic stand.
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I've solved some of this hiss - maybe most.
Turned up the gain way on the keyboard, turned off the trim, had to ride the master and individual gains a bit before recording and on mixdown. Still experimenting and at 15 minute intervals (which stinks), but there it is, til I get a bigger block of time.
All in all, progress
PS Prometheus, I found your last reply quite interesting, thank you.
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It's not the splitter jack, effects or dbx...altho pushing the input mix of the midiverb adds a crisp hiss
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Re: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DBX_(noise_reduction)
A sometimes noticeable artifact of dbx was "breathing", as its compander rapidly increased and decreased the volume level of the background noise along with the music, which was most noticeable in quiet musical passages; this was a greater issue with dbx than with Dolby because its compander was more aggressive and worked across the frequency spectrum.[1]
Interesting...I only need press a button to switch it off (not recommended in the 246 manual).
dbx Type I and Type II are types of "companding noise reduction". Companding noise reduction works by first compressing the source material's dynamic range (in this case by a factor of 2) in anticipation of being recorded on a relatively noisy medium (magnetic tape, for example). Upon playback, the encoded material, now contaminated with noise, is passed through an expander which restores the original dynamic range of the source material. The contaminating signal (tape hiss) is "masked" by the dynamic expansion process, resulting in a significant reduction in perceived noise.
Love that: "perceived" noise. Hey Prometheus, it's good to know a bit what dbx is! This paragraph got me wondering about compression as an effect. I assume compression on hot vocal levels would not expand upon playback? Right, the idea is to level out peaks which are overhigh. In dbx it is the dynamic range which is compressed...that's the same with compression per se?
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Hey~
It's got dbx. Don't think there's dolby, will look again~
I need to play with it, which I will but having too many outings and stuff.
will report back....
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That would be an option, John Nightwolf, except I'm recording the keys via a sequencer, and while I'm playing drums...ha ha, as it is, I'm using the drumstick (ya know, leaning past the drum kit which I'm behind) to push "record" on the 4-track, and also using drumstuck to push the "start" on the sequecer.
*sings* "things'll get better"
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the trouble with trying to use EQ to cut out hiss is that the hiss tends to be spread across a lot of frequencies... So I'm with John, gating unused parts of the tracks is the way to go on this... Hiss on one track is not very disturbing in a mix unless it is very bad, but if there is hiss on unused parts of every track in a twenty track mix, it very soon builds up into an insidious noise...
I agree, I think I can hear the hiss across more than just the high freq.
The way I work this at home is that I use Cubase with CoolEditPro set up as an external wave editor... When I have recorded a track, I send it out into CoolEdit and silence all the bits of the track that aren't being used... If you tell me what equipment you're using, and software, I'll have a better idea...I'm gonna have a think about this one, I've got a lot of tools that can be used for this kind of thing, but it's very late here now, so let me get back to you tomorrow...
Bless your heart...Prometheus, I'm using the annologue 4 track exclusively til further notice. The pc mission has been aborted for the time being...
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John, I've read everything you posted as links. It really does look like the Behringer will have to be acquired.
Your article writing is so packed (dense), you probably don't realize that. How the heck do you know so much? I've found that every answer is there, but I must slow down and look it over carefully to get it. That's in part cause the language is still new to me.
It's not main hums or low frequency rumbles, this I knew. 'Tis hiss. Well, I'm gonna get the noise gate, probably should have it anyhow and the price (or debt acquisition
) is manageable. But you're right, it's the minimal or silent keys passages which are intolerable w/ hiss. I'll try cutting gain on the effects after bypassing them to check the monitor. But I hope to get the noise gate pronto, in a day or two.
Thanks for getting us up to speed about what has kept you away...
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Mon capitan, thank you for your help! Good to see ya
Cheers (but only with beers)!
Donna
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Yeah. Thanks, John.
The gates you speak of, these are not gated effects (like on my midiverb II)? Or are they?
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Prometheus, if you can believe it, I had the 4 yr old man the desk for drum levels!
She was the only one on hand when I was ready to roll.
I explained to her the mic, signal source (drums) and meters. "Just tell me if there's too much red. It should be like black-black-black-RED, black-black-RED, black-black-back RED-RED. What we don't want is RED_RED_RED_RED_RED_ all the time!"
I was able to lean forward while playing so as to view meter for a second to check her answers, and she was fairly accurate. I told her to plug her fingers in her ears if it got too loud and to keep her eye on the meter.
Based on her answers and my quick view, I set the trim and it's not bad.
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Hey y'all, please deliver me from this if you can
It's not a connection problem, pretty sure, and not a bad connection Hiss, if that makes sense. But, could it be a not-good-enough-keyboard problem?
Using a splitter jack with two 1/4 inch cables into the tascam annalogue 4 track. I think once all the parts are there on the tune it might be OK if nothing can be done. Still, the dynamic swells of keyboard lines, those are fine w/ good strong sognal, but the quieter parts, if I boost the trim, hiss is boosted as well.
Thanks for any insight.
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Roger that!
I did two takes...but the first was wrong (drums on 1 & 2, keys on 3 & 4). The second was correct (drums/keys both on 1 & 2). I did a prelim mix w/ a nice reverb, so that the snare echoed a bit. Liking that.
As I work with it, next run will be to hone in on the separate eq's. Though I cut the lows and boosted highs, the keys came out a bit low for my liking (and the drums bright - which is fine 'cept for lack of kick, so that won't do). But it's def. worth pursuing, all 8 parts!
When first studying John's little stage 2 diagram, I's counting on doing keyboard bass. But now that I have a real bass, another player will be needed to record for the bounce to work.
The Franknenbass guy immediately came to mind, I heard him play the Ibanez recently. We have Loo's great parts on an old tape, so if Matteo's willing to learn them...it's a shame he couldn't play bothh bass and guitar, but we need me too for the bounce to work.
mygosh, I *think* that boy also plays keys. This could be a great help to the song if he does. The keys will have to totally be redone for the real take anyway.
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Alright, wish me luck, as I'm soon going to go for a few practice runs of stages 1 and 2 as John mapped out on page one...
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Hi, JB! Thanks for chiming in. I agree they are not junk. This one is an acoustic.
Yet the crack had been there since Gene the biker left the Ov at my home at least five years ago, sadly never to be seen since (Geno, where art thou?).
Hence, I have no warranty.
The only possible thing I can think of which happened (y'all will kill me for this if it's true), is that the guitar was stored near the outer rims of a fireplace...like 2 1/2 feet of brick wall away from the outer edge of the fireplace proper. Nestled between that brick column and a piece of furniture, leaning against the wall.
But why should we have a fire in April or May? I don't think we did. And the guitar was at the same spot all winter...maybe we had one fire around Christmas.
The neighbor gave me ten bucks to replace the Ibanez strings, so I'll get to see Pete and I'll get his opinion (and perhaps begin a modest layaway deal for a new axe).
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To grab "it"!
Just couldn't picture that til now
I think I like that!
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Hole in the body to grab *what*?
Yeah, these young uns...They're great to talk to for inspiration. The teen who made the MP3 was surprised that the tascam mixer used circular knobs. I could see his big brain turning things inside out, he's only seen visual linear signals. We have a vague standing date for him to monitor levels.
The bass body is a Squire. I asked Matteo, "Is that named for Chris Squire?" Blank look. "The bassist for 'Yes'," said I. Although a couple listen to Boston and stuff. They think it's cool that I know even roughly the drum part to 'More Than A Feeling'. Even older children really can be easy to please/connect with.
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I did venture to explain to Husband what would be entailed...he was unusually thoughtful in his replies. We agree a pc for me would be the best way to go.
We'll see how this pans out. I think it will, in time.
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Well, this young 'un brought the bass just as promised! He has several axes as is usual with a youngster - with siblings - all really into music. And brought a case, too...I didn't know what to say except "please stay for dinner."
If I stick with simply playing the Frankenbass even a few minutes a day, I'll learn again - plus my hands will become very strong as this is a heavy and perhaps oversized axe. It will not work in the long run in that way as my hands are not bigman sized!
Did get a useable sound playing yesterday (plugged into my tiny monitor)...and so with Providence providing this will forge ahead as best I may.
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Sorry about that Stevo, just trying to save money The Wolf hath struck again!I find sometimes in life, if you look at the rocks in the road and the cracks in your way, it seems daunting and undoable. It pays to look past these things and see the destination. I'm glad you are able to see that Donna. It helps!
Yeah, it do! Think I had help in order to see. Let's hope it lasts as summer has been my hardest time of year wiff everyone home.
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I had five years at home looking after the kids while my wife went back to work. It was a pretty lonely time (for a bloke) I didn't get invited back for coffee after play group with the other mums!
Harsh.
I've always felt a bit too rough to fit in with the other Mom's...and too uppidity to fit in with the really rough Moms.
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Sad but true
The Wolf hath struck again!
Sad but true
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"Claustrophobic" mixes
in Music Production and Recording
Posted
JB, this thread is telling to say the least.
You aren't a keyboard player? What are you, then (seriously)...your lines are all done via keyboard, are they not? You orchestrate, reach for the lilting strings; chord progressions; solos...
Let's hope James will cure you re: the touch sensitivity - you know what I mean! Dynamics is reality of music. It's real-ness.
JB, you've always given me encouragement, esp as a player, I wish I could do likewise for you because your musical ideas I think are sound! (So to speak) IMO, always keep that part forefront which concentrates on theme music/all your ideas. Step out and sing/play.
At least I (hopefully) won't complain anymore about not being a keyboard player myself - think you've cured me.